"CRU is a support unit that addresses crime that our uniform patrol cannot handle, such as time-consuming surveillance work," Kalihi Major Stephen Watarai.

"Their willingness to help other police units and knowledge of criminal characters in this district are their strongest virtues."

In the third quarter, Kalihi CRU helped to break three major cases:

Kalihi CRU provided two informants to a joint task-force investigation that led to arrests of 12 people in a ring involved in the theft of mail, credit cards and autos, as well as forgery. The ring cost victims more than $1 million, police said.

Through their network of informants, Kalihi CRU officers provided suspect information that led to the arrests of three men responsible for a series of armed cab robberies in the Nuuanu-Liliha area.

Early summer investigation by CRU officers set the groundwork for the first federally funded "weed and seed" bust in Hawaii on July 30. The undercover operation, nicknamed "Big Bang," resulted in the arrests of 33 buyers and 13 dealers in the Mayor Wright Housing area, all of whom were charged with federal offenses.

Halford Yamamoto of the Waikiki patrol district was named the third quarter's top officer.